Not As They Seem
by Vital for Hope
Summary: A matter of human survival, pitted against the will of Silent Hill itself, it seems. James and a new face must rival old and new monsters, otherwise comes to grips with Death himself. T for violence and awkward moments. Please, read and review.
1. Reading Into It

Run. That was what instinct dictated to man when he faced a threat he could not possibly defeat. So, the man ran away from the greater power, something terrifying and the epitome of evil.

James Sunderland stopped for breath. He had to go back there. Back towards... that _thing_. Standing up straight, the man gripped his handgun tightly. His life depended on it. The blonde turned around, and cautiously began to walk back towards the Red Demon. He had a large triangular helmet, and was cast in a red light. Damn him, and damn this hospital. James knew that he would never be able to damn this whole town - it was Mary's favorite place. He had promised to take her here again...

Forcing himself to concentrate, James took a deep breath. This hospital freaked him out. While he wasn't quite prepared, a nurse came staggering around a corner.

"Shit!" James hissed, pointing the gun and unloading his magazine on the monster. When it finally fell dead, he stomped on it for a good measure. Great, now his pistol was empty. Looking down, the nurse had been carrying a steel pipe... he supposed that he would use that until he found some more ammo. Grabbing it, the man didn't realize that he had such a tight grip, that his muscles ached, and that he hadn't eaten in God knew how long. James continued to walk, keeping an eye out for monsters along with anything helpful. He was still headed towards the Red Demon, even though his instinct told him to stay away.

One last corner to turn. "Come on, James..." he mumbled under his breath to himself. The man then heard a loud crashing noise - followed by a whimper. The clatter of a pair of feet followed, and before James knew it, he was on the ground. Looking up, someone then yanked him to his feet, adrenaline causing them to drag him along.

"Run!" they said. James didn't need any more encouragement. He joined the stranger and sprinted down the hall. They then went into the staircase, just to be blocked off by a dark figure. The person gasped and turned the other way - only what James could assume was some sort of monster. He also turned around, sprinting back up the stairs, his mind calculating. They were just blocked off from the second floor - and the third floor had the Red Demon. That meant the roof.

Back in the third floor hallway of the hospital, the two men saw Pyramid Head standing, waiting. James grabbed the strange man's shoulder, pulling him towards another door - the roof. They ran up the final flight of stairs, and grabbed a quick breath, chests heaving.

There was some sort of diary or notebook. James grabbed it and tucked it into his jacket later for safekeeping. For now, they needed to find a way to survive.

"D... Dante," the raven-haired man then said. James glanced up, blinking through the light shed from their flashlights.

"What?"

"My name is Dante."

"... James Sunderland," the older man replied. This guy - Dante - looked to be in his early twenties, with skin slightly darker than James' own. Yet, he looked just as stressed.

Thoughts and studying each other were interrupted as the roof access door swung open. Both men looked over, eyes wide. It was that Red Demon _and_ the Dark Demon! The Red Demon slowly approached, and the Dark Demon went to the side to circle around. James clutched his pipe, and Dante clutched his axe. The Sunderland said a bitter goodbye to his wife in his head, knowing that an axe and a pipe would not take down these monsters.

Hearing a snap behind him, James turned, but fell to one knee as something pierced his left calf. Crying out in pain and surprise, he looked down to see a dagger that pulled itself out of his leg, going back to its owner - the Dark Demon. The blonde looked up as he grabbed at the wound, feeling warm blood. The Red Demon continued its advance.

Dante didn't know what to do. There was now two of the most powerful monsters in probably all of Silent Hill, and they had them trapped on a roof. This new man, James, was already wounded from the same monster that had been following and studying Dante. How would they die? Was this larger monster with the enormous blade stalking James? Either way, Dante had run out of time to say any goodbyes. He tried his best to attack the large monster with the knife - and would've succeeded against almost anything else. But, the monster shrugged it off and just grabbed the small human in comparison, and casually threw him off the roof. He then approached the injured Sunderland, and paused. James felt some sort of look - one of almost disappointment as he too was lifted off of his feet and thrown off the roof. Every thought he had ever created ran through his mind as wind rushed past him. He wondered how much it would hurt when he hit the ground, or if he would die instantly. Did Dante survive? Why did the Red Demon do this? Above all... what of his beloved wife?

All of those questions crossed James' mind as he fell through the air, his back to the ground as he hit. Then, it all went black.

"U-ugghh..." was the only noise shattering the eerie silence. James sat up, back hurting more than enough to actually grab his attention. He had survived after all. Looking slowly around, he noted that his flashlight thankfully still worked, and located his steel pipe. Then, the light shone upon a human-shaped figure, making the blonde jump then winced. It was just Dante, thank God.

"James! Are you all right? How do you feel?" Dante asked, seeing the only other person he had met in Silent Hill finally wake. They both were sore, bruised, and dejected along with the possibility of something being at least fractured. Dante held out a nutrition drink to James, the only thing he could offer at the moment. He was a premed student, but with absolutely no supplies - not even a first-aid kit - he was unable to help much further. "Let me tape up your leg, at least, and we'll find something to help you walk."

The blonde man blinked, then ran a hand across his grimy face. He had been here longer than Dante, it seemed, if not just as long.

"Th... thank you, Dante," James said hoarsely, surprised at the sound of his own cracking voice shattering the silence. He took the nutrition drink and popped it open, sipping at it at first, finding his empty stomach one of many problems. Soon, it was finished. Shuddering from the bad aftertaste and the pain in his leg, he watched as Dante ripped up his shirt and helped bandage his leg.

"That should help. Here, stand up. How much weight can you support on it?" Dante then asked, helping James to his feet. James gingerly began to lean a bit on his left leg, then winced.

"Hurts like hell, but I should be able to survive. I might need something to help, though... where are we?" James replied, then began to look around. This hospital was freaky. There was a row of metal doors, with the occasional blood stains and the like - nothing new. "It looks like the psycho ward."

Dante nodded his agreement. "I think it is. I investigated some of the rooms - they were padded," he replied. About to help James walk, he paused as the blonde simply used his pipe as a cane. They both needed to search for clues. Agreeing to help each other out, they stuck together, only splitting up to go into different rooms, and actually made it back to the rest of the hospital with enough time, and out of it with more.

"Thank God. We're out of there," Dante commented when they were on the front steps of the hospital. "And, we found some medical kits, so I can properly take care of your leg," he added. James blinked at him.

"All right... that sounds good. But, I have a question."

Dante stared at him, "Yes?"


	2. Acquaintances

"I'm looking for my wife, Mary. Have you seen her?" James asked the young man. Dante blinked in response, then shook his head, apologizing. Yet James didn't let his shoulders slump, for he was rather expecting that answer.

"Sorry," Dante tried to offer, but James shook his head.

"No, it's quite all right. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to find her or not..." the blonde replied, his eyes very distant. Meanwhile, Dante motioned for James to sit, pulling out a medical kit. He wanted to take care of James' leg properly this time.

"What do you mean?" he asked while opening it, sifting through the contents.

"It might sound crazy... but I came here because she sent me a letter telling me to do so... she's been dead for three years."

Dante stopped, then blinked, his brow furrowing. That was quite odd to the male, along with something he observed as unhealthy.

"So you went, of course. At least you have a reason. I came here on a whim, really. I don't know. I was going through some problems, and then some stranger told me I should 'relax' at Silent Hill. I didn't know it was like this, however," Dante replied, trying to reassure James while he retaped his leg properly.

"A stranger?" James asked, slightly baffled. Dante nodded, continuing.

"Just on a street corner, at a stoplight. He just mentioned that I looked troubled and needed a place to relax, then he said something about Silent Hill. What's crazy is that I listened to him!"

"... y'know... Mary and I... we came here once, a long time ago. It wasn't like this - of course. She loved it... I promised that I'd take her back someday, but then she..." James once again grew distant, an image of his late wife passing through his mind.

"I can't imagine this place being a vacation hotspot. Now, we should get going," Dante then instructed, purposefully interrupting James' recollections. He helped the older man to his feet, then provided any other help he might need to get around.

"Say... you did a pretty good job on my leg. Thanks," James then said as they walked down the foggy street, his tone almost meek. But, he was more impressed than anything else. Dante just nodded his response at first.

"I was a med student, for nursing. Hopefully I'd have learned something!"

The two men shared a good chuckle as they slowly made their way along the disheveled and cracked road, the pavement occasionally slicked with blood. A Mannequin soon enough stood in the way, but Dante easily took it out. The other Mannequin they encountered was effortlessly passed, and they soon made their way to the center of the town, trying to choose a place to rest. James didn't want to - he said there was not enough time and it was not safe enough - but Dante insisted, winning out with the fact that James absolutely needed to because of his leg.

They settled in a room above a hairdresser's salon, blocking the door and making sure the windows were well-sealed. James soon enough managed sleep with the help of a health drink and some asprin they found. Dante meanwhile, kept a vigilant watch, however the best he could with his own exhaustion. They were in absolute, eerie silence, not realizing that they were being watched and analyzed all the while.


	3. Back Out

"I'm sorry - did I sleep too long?" James said, finished stretching and trying to force his mind back out of its haze. Dante had jumped at the first noise James made when he woke - it was the first noise in a while, but he had then relaxed upon realization.

"No, you're fine. The sirens haven't gone off, so I suppose it hasn't been too long," Dante replied, then glancing down and pulling up his torn sleeve a bit with a frown. "I don't suppose you know why even watches are broken here..."

The older male rubbed his blue eyes, pushing soiled blonde hair out of his face. He simply shook his head, knowing that very few technology-related items seemed to work here. The ones that did you had to fix yourself, and usually only helped out with a puzzle, but that was just about it. The few clocks that worked weren't accurate, and were grandfather clocks or bolted to the wall or something bizarre. They seemed to wanted people to forget about them, to leave them to collect dust and grime.

"Well, I suppose it's a good thing the sirens haven't gone off. It's miserable when they do, and I always get into a panicky state of mind once they do, even if I previously thought I could handle it," James then said. Dante nodded his agreement, and then stood and walked over to the blonde.

"How's your leg? Here, let me see," the younger male then prompted. James stretched out his leg, grimacing a bit. It was on the mend, but it also had cramped up while he slept, due mostly to the cold. Dante inspected it for a bit, then began to knead out the muscle cramp, feeling a knot in James' leg. This drew an involuntary groan from the blonde, who's face remained in a grimace. "Sorry," Dante mumbled, continuing just as he did before, not being any gentler.

"There. Try that," Dante said after a bit, stepping back. James stretched his leg again, then hesitantly stood. He let a slight and exhausted smile creep onto his face.

"Much better. Thank you again, Dante."

The raven-haired male smiled and nodded, then suggested they take their leave. James agreed, and after unblocking the door, they were soon back out onto the foggy street. Both walking slowly - cautiously - they took their time, gripping their weapons tightly. Most of the monsters were easily avoided - but they were paranoid.

The two earlier monsters, now recognized as Pyramid Head and the Marked Man, were probably just... waiting. Waiting to attack. Waiting for the two humans to fall into their trap.


	4. Plans

It soon became apparent that they needn't worry out on the streets as much, as they only came across Mannequins so far. James and Dante easily dodged around them, since they only moved when the humans drew near. However, they didn't cause James' radio to emit any static until they began moving, giving them the advantage of stealth through the thick fog.

The two men had not exchanged many words, for they felt that just having another human in their presence in a desolate, hellish place like this was enough basis for friendship. James was delighted to find that his leg was quickly on the mend, now not having to use something to lean on as he walked. Though their pace was slower than either of them preferred, as long as the sirens did not go off, they felt a sense of security.

"Okay, we need to see if we can get across the lake," James said at length, studying his map. Currently, they were near Rosewater Park. He had noticed that the park seemed devoid of monsters, a relief. However, he had come across Maria there, who insisted upon staying with him. But, the Red Demon had gotten her... Pyramid Head. The older, blonde male shuddered. Damn that thing... for some reason, he felt that it was responsible for everything bad that had happened to him. In a sense, he was correct.

"The road is blocked off?" Dante asked, peering at the map, standing by James' side. He had pretended not to notice the shudder, convincing himself that it was either the cold or some thought that was meant to remain private.

James simply nodded.

"We can try the docks, but I'm not sure if even that will work. I think they were blocked off. The only building around there that we have a chance at is the Historical Society," James then said, his tired mind attempting to come up with a plan.

Dante's head bobbed in agreement.

"Better than nothing. You need to find your wife. But I think we should wait for the... the weird change to pass before we go, so that we're not caught off guard if we're in there or something," Dante then wisely instructed. He was still paranoid, just as James was. The difference was that he wasn't quite as exhausted as the older man.

Dante lifted his head a bit, also raising his eyes, studying James' facial features. He seemed to be at least seven - maybe ten - years older than himself. Near the corners of his mouth were frown lines, but they were thin, as if a bit more recent. James had a few folds on his forehead, caused by stress. A few locks of strawberry blonde hair covered them, though. Dante's eyes wandered to James' hair; there was shine to it, but dirt and grime and possible blood from monsters had taken that away. Finally, Dante studied the man's eyes. They were a deep blue, what Dante suspected were formerly vivid, but now they seemed almost grey, as if slate blue. They had very little shine, no luster to show his inner youth or energy. The bags under his eyes were more signs of stress, along with sleepless nights and the occasional panic in a place like this.

Dante smartly looked away before James noticed that he was being stared at, placing his own darkened hazel eyes back on the map.

_What would James look like if he was happy...?_ he wondered to himself.

James folded the map back up and tucked it away, looking ahead grimly.

"Let's explore the park a bit first, see if it has anything useful. We can wait for the sirens, too."

Dante nodded and followed after him, once again noticing the slight limp his friend had. Grimacing, James trudged onward, knowing that as soon as he got past the pain, he'd be able to walk and run as he did before. He had to hand it to Dante, though - it was healing at least fifty times faster than he thought it would!

Through the hazy fog, Rosewater Park soon appeared. After exploring the previously beautiful park, Dante ordered James to sit on a bench so he could check his leg, as well as simply rest it. Sighing, the blonde listened and was inwardly relieved. His leg was throbbing, aching, and had stabbed with pain with each step. Wincing as Dante rubbed it a bit, he managed to bite back any sort of groan of pain that he wanted to emit. There were worse things... like falling off a roof. How the hell had they survived that?

Dante quickly finished, satisfied with the rate that James was healing. It was abnormal - but, hey, whatever worked. Upon standing, he offered and hand and helped the Sunderland to his feet.

The two quickly found what few items the park had to offer - a bit of ammo and a few nutrition drinks - and headed off slowly to wander the streets a bit. They were once again silent, and apprehensive.

They were waiting for the sirens to go off.

Walking down a street that was, by Silent Hill standards, quite decent, the wail of sirens in the distance pierced the eerie silence as well as the fog. Both men instinctively ducked and flinched, then watched in utter silence as darkness consumed absolutely everything. Finally, they were able to see by the light of their flashlights as rain drizzled about them in a hostile, almost ominous manner.

Gripping weapons, their only plan for the moment was survival until the next change back into the foggy, empty world. This current world was not empty. It was filled with danger, hate, and anger that hung in the air just as thickly as the fog did in the other world.

Taking a deep breath, Dante stepped forward, keeping his eyes and ears alert for anything.

But stealth was the Marked Man's forte.

The monster watched the two men silently from the shadows. He knew Pyramid Head was waiting for their own plan to initiate. The Marked Man frowned in disgust - he hated Pyramid Head more than anything else in the vile world of Silent Hill. However, with his own target working with Pyramid Head's, they had been forced to work together in order to achieve their purposes.

Standing up straight, the Marked Man quietly followed them, confident that the patter of rain against the asphalt and metal of the town concealed any noise that he might've made during his movements. He was waiting for the opportune moment... there!

Setting his trap into action quickly, the Marked Man's main weapon of choice - steel thread - quickly grabbed James Sunderland and slung him high in the air. The man emitted a yell of surprise and perhaps panic, now suspended between two buildings. He could not see what was holding him up by his leg, but it seemed to lack sturdiness.

James was inwardly thankful that it wasn't his injured leg that got snagged by the trap, but his current thoughts focused on panic and _what the hell is going on!_

"James!" Dante yelled, peering up through the darkness at his friend. Immediately, Dante knew it was a trap, but from his vantage point on the ground, he felt utterly useless. He knew he couldn't help James at the moment, he could only keep an eye on him, but had to watch his own back as well. However, Dante was only human, so he only managed to focus on one thing at a time in a crisis like this.

It was as if the monsters of Silent Hill knew this weakness. Two Straitjackets came sputtering out of the darkness, choking on their acid, trying to dispel the vile poison on Dante. The male quickly beat them down with the pipe he had borrowed from James, stomping on them, then snapped his gaze back upwards.

"James!" he yelled again, futilely. He couldn't shoot at whatever was holding the man up - he couldn't see it. And he couldn't bloody well throw something in hopes of breaking it, anyway. Besides, what if he did manage it? Would he catch James? How would they avoid any further injury!

Dante knew this was a trap.

The Marked Man darkly smirked - so it had worked, after all. He flicked out a dagger from his black cloak, then paused to adjust his hood. Quietly, he severed a vital thread to keeping the human suspended in the air.

Soon, distinct yet soft snapping noises were heard, and James let out another yell - he was falling! Dante yelled something, but James couldn't process it in his panic. He was falling headfirst, unlike the roof. He was going to die this time!

Dante dove forward and made a valiant effort to catch his friend. His efforts succeeded, but he then bounced his head off the pavement - knocking him out cold. James himself had suffered injuries from the nasty landing, but now adrenaline coursed through his veins. He quickly managed to his knees.

"Dante!" he said, worried that the man was dead. Why! Why had the monsters done this! Panic and stress caused moisture to well up in James' eyes - but he knew that there was a chance that Dante was alive. At the moment, it was the only hope he had to cling to.

Trying to somehow pick up his friend, James suddenly felt a chill through his spine.

There was something behind him.

Turning slowly, James somehow felt he already knew what was behind him - Pyramid Head.

The large monster quickly knocked the blonde out cold, then picked him up along with Dante as if they were oversized rag dolls. He then began to carry them away to Alchemilla Hospital.

So, their plan had worked after all.


	5. Face It

The Marked Man hated the presence of _him_... of Pyramid Head. That was a simple fact they both had to deal with. Pyramid Head seemed more to scoff at the hatred, to almost mock Invidia's very existence. But at least they respected each other. Without respect, they would not get anywhere. That also, was a simple fact.

It was settled that the Marked Man would deal with his own target, and Pyramid Head as well. They would keep out of each other's business, so it was decided.

Frankly, Pyramid Head was surprised that they managed to pull of any plan of any sort. The Marked Man - Invidia - had formed it with as little communication as possible. It was a surprisingly simple plan, but it did its job.

Knowing full well that Invidia could barely handle carrying a man who matched his own size and weight, Pyramid Head courteously continued carrying Dante for the Marked Man. He smirked underneath his helmet - he knew that Invidia hated the situation, and the simple idea that he was upsetting the Marked Man that much more amused the larger monster. At the hospital, Pyramid Head continued dragging both James and Dante as he headed up the stairs. He knew better than to trust James to remain unconscious if he left him on the stairs or something. The man was resilient, and unfairly so. That was a simple fact.

Dropping Dante's limp form at the top floor of Alchemilla, Pyramid Head cast one last penetrating gaze to the smaller monster, attempting one last time to mess around with him. However, the Marked Man's own red eyes were covered by his deep gray cowl, and he made a point to leave it like so. He hated social interaction, it seemed. The smaller fear simply busied himself with dealing with Dante's body, ignoring any looks Pyramid Head may have tried to give him. As far as he was concerned, their plan had worked, and they could part ways once again.

Pausing for the slightest moment - something that Pyramid Head never did unless his mind was utterly preoccupied - he began back down the endless stairs. Sure, he could've taken the broken elevator, but he didn't trust it. No one with thoughts, a purpose, or a drive should trust it. It was that simple. Mostly, it was reserved for the torment of humans foolish enough to take it. Besides - all locked doors were open to monsters. Blocked doors were another matter, usually one of strength or time.

Pyramid Head dragged James downstairs to his basement realm, pushing his way through nurses. They were utterly mindless, and only acted upon instinct. They were nothing but slaves and toys for Pyramid Head.

* * *

"U-ungh... head..." were the first words out of Dante's mouth. He found that he was lying down, and went to sit up, but something had stopped him. The room was comfortably dark for his sore eyes, relaxing his pounding headache, but the back of his mind screamed for him to snap to it, to try to run away. He fully opened his eyes, wanting to rub them, but his hands refused to move. Gazing at the blood and various stains on the wall and ceiling, he then realized - he was not in a hotel, or his dorm at all. He was still stuck in Silent Hill.

Quickly, he tried to sit up, realizing that he couldn't because he was tied down by painful restraints that cut him if he pushed too hard against them. He was tied down by wire. Looking around the room in a panic, he spotted a dark, hooded and cloaked figure sitting patiently in the corner on a metal-framed chair. It was what he had labeled as the Marked Man. Dante quickly regained his composure the best he could, wincing as another steel thread cut his wrist.

"Wh-what do you want..." he managed to whisper past dry, cracked lips, his voice quite hoarse. Man, he was dying of thirst.

The Marked Man looked up from the small figurine he was whittling - something that was quite unexpected of the monster. He slowly set the dagger and wood on the counter next to him, rising to his feet in one smooth movement. He drifted near Dante, peering out from his cowl as if studying the human for a moment, but said nothing.

"... my, what green eyes you have, grandmother," he quietly said after an agonizing silence. His tone was dark, and his voice wasn't deep, but definitely male. He studied Dante once more as the male processed the quote the Marked Man had used.

"Wh... wha?" he breathed. "N-no, wait! Why am I here!" he replied, forcing himself to stay on topic. He had no clue what the Marked Man's tactics or plans were, but if he was going to die, he wanted to at least know how or why.

* * *

Before he even opened his eyes, James knew he was in a bad place. The feeling of dread simply danced on the edge of his consciousness, and was something always present. He slowly lifted his aching head before deciding to open his eyes, almost not wanting to at all, if it meant that he wouldn't have to face the reality around him. Greeted by a deep red glow of light mingled with orange, he found himself in a darkened room. But what was that? A doorway? An incandescent light, one that reminded James of an office building poured in one doorway, the dark red glow from the other. Where was he?

Slowly looking around the room, he felt his heart sink as there was a table - with the Great Knife resting on it. Swallowing the lump of fear in his throat, James squirmed against the restraints around him - a mixture of ropes and leather straps.

He had man questions burning in his mind at the moment, but was unable to ask any of them. Why were he and Dante kidnapped? In fact, where was Dante? Were they going to kill them?

"H-hello...?" he meekly called out. Half of him regretted it, not wanting to face what he suspected would answer, and yet the other half knew to face it sooner than later.

However, it was too late to turn back as the blonde heard heavy footsteps, then a tall, broad shadow looming in the doorway lit by normal lights. It was Pyramid Head. Immediately, James felt fear swell up inside of him, but he simply remained still, only his eyes betraying him.

Pyramid Head said nothing, but he merely walked over to the table quickly, and snatched the Great Knife, hauling it off the table. He then just walked out of the room, considerably slower, and left James alone.

What the hell was going on?


	6. Enigma

"A woman's figure, judging from what few books I have been able to recover in this place, is quite the opposite, yet similar to a man's, is it not?" the Marked Man asked of Dante, hand dramatically gesturing to emphasize any sort of revelation either of them might have. He lowered his hand slowly, simultaneously turning his head to look over at Dante. Once again, his red, burning eyes acted like smoldering embers, studying Dante's frozen green orbs. A slight smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth - Invidia knew that the human had no clue where this was going. "It was said that Eve was created from a rib of Adam. Similar, yet different," he continued after a pause. Dante merely blinked in confusion, wondering what sort of ploy or distraction the Marked Man was attempting.

"I have never seen a human woman before - I am attempting to create her likeness," the Marked Man then said, holding up the figurine he was whittling earlier.

Dante merely gazed at the Marked Man, at an utter loss for words. Many responses ran through his mind, but he chose to say none of them. He did not know what was going on, or why the Marked Man was trying to recreate a woman.

Invidia frowned, sitting back down in the chair. Although he was not a huge fan of speaking, he enjoyed placing Dante under the magnifying glass to watch him squirm. He went back silently to his attempt to create the form of a female, letting Dante process what he had just said. Maybe he was still recovering from the blow to the head from earlier - evident from the blood caked on his temple.

In that rather long moment of silence - the Marked Man stumbled upon a realization. The one thing he hated the most out of all of Silent Hill, and they shared yet one more thing in common. They were both stuck here, both monsters, and they both enjoyed tormenting others. However, Pyramid Head's sort of torment was cruel and sickening to the Marked Man, who enjoyed a more psychological approach. Ah, it was like some sort of cruel fate... he knew that he and Pyramid Head were "fated" to work together, or even die together.

"... wh-why are you trying to whittle a woman?" Dante quietly asked, surprised of how his own bleak whisper shattered the silence.

The Marked Man silently looked up, studying his work in progress as he thought of a response.

"Women. I wonder, why are there no women here? You and James are both males, and so are most that are fated to drift here. Women must be much more purer than men."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

The Marked Man now wore a full grin, or at least as close as he could get. It came more of a lopsided grimace, making Dante think that he had been wrong to speak.

"Humankind is a flourishing race. And you have noticed here... the only thing that flourishes upon these streets is the fog laced with danger," he then said, looking Dante straight into the eye. The human returned the gaze, though confusion welled in his eyes.

Invidia let his customary frown return to his face. "Dante, pay attention. Upon your answer, your freedom - and perhaps James' - is in the balance."

Immediately, the human blinked the clutter out of his head, his headache suddenly seeming to dissipate with the increase of concentration.

Well, his attention was gained. The Marked Man sat down in his chair, making sure to keep Dante's focus. He took his time, weighing every word he would say, as he often did. This was much more important than anything he had _ever_ said previously. Lacing his fingers together, he rested his chin on them, elbows on knees.

"Will you agree to answer any questions I have of your world?"

* * *

How long would he have to wait? How long would the Red Demon simply leave him there?

James wiggled his fingers that were trapped behind his back. He dared to squirm against his restraints a bit more, hands grasping elbows of the opposite arm. His shoulders ached from the straining, slightly awkward position. A sharp stab of pain rocked through his right arm, starting at his wrist. The blonde merely winced, cautiously continuing to wriggle about.

He heard very little noise from the other room where Pyramid Head was.

* * *

"W-why?" Dante dared to ask, truly curious, As soon as the syllable left his lips, he realized that he may have already screwed up any chance of getting set free.

"Yes or no!" the Marked Man snapped, scowl returning to his face entirely. He had attempted the thing called "patience", but he just didn't enjoy socializing.

Dante winced, involuntarily blinking rather hard. Damn, he was still scared of that... thing! Upon seeing how human-like the Marked Man was, it was difficult to fully define him as a monster, to place him in the same denomination as those Straitjackets or freaky dog-things...

"Y-yes...! Yes... I will answer anything you ask," Dante managed to gasp past the lump that had formed in his throat. He swallowed hard, trying to subdue his fear, his throat also burning from the need for water.

"Good."

Invidia had slowly formatted an intricate - perhaps impossible - plan ever since he had brushed a thick coating of dust off his first book. He remembered it well. It was a fairy tale of a giant lizard, who ultimately met its demise because of its pride.

Dante was quite vital to his plan, as he would be the main supplier of information that the Silent Hill library could not satisfy.

The Marked Man rose, taking his knife with him, and merely walked out of the cramped hospital room, leaving Dante in silence and darkness.

* * *

Footsteps. They were gradually increasing in volume. That meant they were approaching from a long distance or something. But the distinct way the steps were... they were just walking up a long hallway. James assumed they were walking down a flight of stairs.

A dark silhouette blocked some of the light coming in through the doorway as it stepped in front of it. No, it not only blocked it, but seemed to absorb and refuse to reflect it. Red eyes glared down at James past a deep hood. It was the Marked Man.

He simply stepped away, letting light flood back into the room.

James bit his lip, finding himself squirming against his restraints once again. He had to get out of here and find Dante. That is, if the Marked Man hadn't killed him yet.

Heavy footsteps interrupted the man, light once again being denied access to the room. James' blue, clouded eyes suddenly snapped upwards, looking at Pyramid Head. He blinked hard, eyes remaining wide. He refused to let his body language give away his amount of fear.

The Marked Man stepped up past Pyramid Head, kneeling by James, carving at his restraints with his dagger.

"Congratulations, Mr. Sunderland. Dante has managed both of your freedom - at a price," the Marked Man said with a rich voice. It flowed smoothly to James' ears, yet was as harsh as squeezing a lemon on a fresh cut. So, he **had** killed Dante!

"You are to come with us, and do as you are told."

James was yanked to his feet before he could even let the blood circulate fully back into his arms. Sitting on his legs the entire time, however, currently provided a challenge for him to walk. Pyramid Head grabbed his arm, more dragging him up the steps rather than supporting him.

He was practically dragged outside of the hospital into a drizzling darkness. His own eyes were barely able to discern much outside of two feet around him, but his ears were attempting to make up for the lack of sight.

He heard a slight groan from a voice he recognized.

"Dante...?" he spoke, voice barely above a whisper.

"Hey... James..." the younger male replied, his voice somewhere to the left. He sounded weak, or perhaps still stunned.

"What's going on?" the blonde then dared to ask, despite the tight grip on his right arm.

"We have to help them, I think..."

"Be quiet! Your voices will only bring you suffering," the Marked Man then hissed, ending any further conversation. James heard Pyramid Head give some slight noise, one not unlike a chuckle.

The rain was relieving, perhaps even relaxing if it weren't for the brick in the men's stomachs. But, it was brought to an end when a door was wrenched open, and they were thrust inside some building and into seats.

James heard Dante being shoved in the seat nearby, and he felt a table in front of him. It felt certainly like wood, not metal... had it been saved from the effects of the Otherworld?

The blonde slowly reached his right arm out through the darkness, his fingertips coming across some sort of flesh. He quickly managed to discern it was Dante's hand, and then simply grasped at his arm in the dark, like a scared child looking for their stuffed animal in the darkness. Dante's arm reflexively twitched, as James had pressed against a relatively fresh cut through his sleeve. But Dante did not blame him - he couldn't have known. He also reached out, locating James' arm, and then merely grasped it in return, refusing to let go.

If they were going to die in this place of darkness, then at least they could die together. Neither man planned to leave a fellow human alone in this God-forsaken place, and certainly not at the hands of Pyramid Head and the Marked Man.


	7. The Theory

They both knew that the humans could not see. They understood well how the vision of their targets functioned. There was very little light at all to reflect off of any surface in the library.

Pyramid Head stood next to the table, looking down to his side at the Marked Man, who had pulled up a seat to the wooden surface. Their whole plan consisted of Invidia as the focal point, though _Punitor_ did not mind. He wasn't about to be the one to sit down and chat with the humans. The monster knew, however, that the Marked Man did not enjoy the amount of having to interact and socialize. Yet, he had himself to blame - he was the one who formed the plan.

Invidia accepted the small burden stoically.

Folding his hands, he rested them on the table, staring through the darkness at James and Dante. His own eyes pierced through the pitch black surroundings well, as he himself was a creature of the darkness.

He watched with slight curiosity as the two men found each other in the dark, holding onto each other's arms. It was as if they were expecting something.

"Dante, why have you come here?" he eventually asked, finally growing tired of watching the two men prepare themselves for death.

"H-huh...? I... I'm not sure..." Dante answered, keeping the answer much more shallow than he had with James earlier.

"... what did you leave behind?"

"...? A, uh... some friends, my parents... college..." he meekly answered. He could barely guess why his greatest fear was asking him this. He knew not to ask why, since he had previously agreed to answer anything. It was upon this answer that he slowly came to reflect upon his life, and everything leading up to when he came to Silent Hill.

"College?" the Marked Man echoed, pressing for a more detailed answer.

"... y-yes. Medical school, for nursing."

"You had no significant other?"

"... no," Dante hesitantly answered, raising an eyebrow. He didn't know why the "fears" wanted to know anything about his personal life, really. He leaned back, biting his lip softly in worry and thought, hand on James' arm unconsciously tightening.

James noted the obvious discomfort Dante was experiencing, and shared that concern as well. He also shared the exact same thoughts as Dante, and silently wished that he could somehow reassure the man under scrutiny. However, he was interrupted from his thoughts.

"James."

The blonde man's head immediately snapped in the direction of the Marked Man's voice, his own grip momentarily tightening on Dante's arm. "You had a wife, Mary. What was she like before her illness?" the Marked Man then asked him.

James' mind panicked. How did he know that! Why was he asking! Mary wasn't to be brought up!

The man paused for an agonizingly long moment, sorting through the sudden gush of thoughts.

" She was... perfect." Yes, that was the only word he could describe her as. He came to the bitter realization that he had failed her as her husband. Bitter memories came swelling to the surface of his mind, but he swallowed hard, shoving those memories back to sort through later.

"What defines a human as perfect? What causes your perception of her to be so?"

"... she... she was the sweetest woman ever. Her appearance was flawless to me, and..." James bit his lip, choking back the tears welling in his eyes. He didn't want to go any further, still quite bitter that she was dead, even though it had been years. Dante's hand tightened on James' arm for support.

James took a breath, refusing to say anything more.

He looked up just as a small tear rolled down his cheek to cut through the dirt and blood, finding that the world around them was beginning to brighten. Pyramid Head slid Dante's missing flashlight across the table after having flipped the switch. The two monsters now both stood side by side, the Marked Man wearing a crooked smirk and Pyramid Head crossing his arms.

Sirens were heard in the distance, causing James and Dante to both stand. They looked around, watching as the library seemed to lift. Any of the transformations that only came with the Otherworld all rose into the air, fading from view. Pyramid Head uncrossed his arms and began to make a hollow sound, not unlike a laugh, as they two monsters also disappeared from view, as if pieces of them being ripped like paper and tossed into the air.

Dante blinked hard, looking over at James, giving the man's arm one last reassuring squeeze. He tried to smile as vague light now poured in through the library windows. The fog had not yet filtered into the building, leaving it surprisingly clear of clutter and destruction that was usual of Silent Hill. Dante now fully looked James in the eye, still wearing the small, hopeful smile. He saw the line down the blonde's face that his tear had carved.

"James... will you be all right?" he asked quietly, in a soft tone. He didn't know much about Mary, except that she had died.

The older male let his arm drop from Dante's, wiping the moisture from his eyes, smearing dirt a bit more.

"Yeah... I'll be fine... thanks..." he replied quietly. Suddenly, he felt drained and empty, even more so than he did earlier. Dante had James sit down again as he leaned across the preserved, though dusty table, grabbing his flashlight and sliding over a book that was left open where the Marked Man was standing. Turning off the flashlight, he sat and began to inspect the book.

It was open on a page about morals in culture and society, or something. He only scanned the page. Dante flipped to the cover: _Active Society_ by Amitai Etzioni. Raising an eyebrow, he merely grabbed the book to take with him. What in the world was the Marked Man doing reading about sociology?

It was obvious to Dante that the Marked Man was a well-read... "fear". He had quoted the Bible, various fairytales, and a bit about anatomy to him. Was there much more to him than he was giving credit for?

James had finally seemed to recover, now also eyeing the book.

"What is that?" he asked, leaning over a bit to better see the cover. Dante held it out for the man to read, shrugging.

"I think the Marked Man was reading it," the younger male replied, now beginning to survey the library. Sure, he had seen bigger ones, but this one wasn't that bad. It was well-off, though crowded due to the large amount of books in a relatively small building. He let James study the book as he rose, starting to wander through the shelves. Most of the books were misplaced, and some were even missing their binding. Dante carefully ran his fingers over some of the loose pages floating about, as if a few books had merely been scattered throughout. Studying the previous dark stain of the wooden shelves, he then smiled slightly, finding that he would've liked this library if everything was normal. Here, he felt in his element. He paused to peruse a book - he wasn't even sure what he was reading - then heard James quietly approach him.

The man simply looked over his shoulder quickly to see if what he was reading was of any interest, then drifted off into another aisle.

He called out, " Do you think that the Marked Man has gone through most of these books? He seems... well, actually very intelligent."

Dante did not look up from his book.

"Yeah. Most likely. Earlier, he was quoting some fairytales and the Bible to me, and was trying to whittle a woman without actually ever having seen one."

"... huh. That's interesting..." James trailed, his voice dropping as his eyes stumbled upon a large box. "Hey, Dante, come check this out!"

The raven-haired male came over, letting James open the box, which surprisingly wasn't locked. It was full of various, and random items. But they were all in terrible condition - as if reminiscent of the Otherworld. The stunned and confused blonde pulled out some random shirt, an iron, a telephone, a candlebra, a small snare drum, and other seemingly random items. "What the...?" he mumbled, wiping the dirt/rust/grime from his hands onto his already dirty jeans. It wouldn't make much of a difference, he figured.

"... what is all of this?" Dante asked, mostly to himself, as James just looked up at him over his shoulder, shrugging. He dug around in the box a little more, finding absolutely nothing of significance. They were both well-aware of the many puzzles they encountered throughout Silent Hill, and were hoping this was something to get them closer to James' goal, but the box and its items seemed utterly useless. James began putting all of the random items back into the box, shutting the lid.

"It's almost like a collection," he commented absent-mindedly. Dante's green eyes widened as his gears in his mind slowly began turning, working on a theory. Meanwhile, James stood, clearing his throat. "Look, I have a first-aid kit. Let's go take care of some of those wounds you got," he then said, leading Dante away. They sat at one of the tables within the library, feeling quite safe there. Since there was no fog, there was no chance of any monsters.

James broke out a first-aid kit (one he had found in the very library) and began to clean some of Dante's wounds for him, who really didn't seem to mind or care, despite being the medical student. He simply stared into space as he worked upon his strange theory, but winced when the large scrape on his head met some alcohol swabs. James hesitated, noting the wince, and then continued along, though a bit more gently.

"You all right? You seem tired," he mentioned to Dante.

"Hmm? Oh, no. It's - I'm fine. I was just thinking..." the younger man replied, blinking. He paused for a moment, then continued, "You know, I'm actually feeling a bit tired after all. You think it'd be good to crash here?"

"Yeah, it should be fine. I'm not that tired - you should sleep. I'll keep watch just in case."

Dante nodded, then stretched across some chairs, back to James as he attempted to sleep. He had many thoughts swirling in his mind, mostly related to the events that just occurred. But he then heard James shift in his seat and quietly sigh, then smiled. They way James was acting - it was like he was feeling better, and taking such care of Dante perhaps as a silent thanks for the support earlier. He didn't know - but didn't ponder upon it much longer as he fell into a deep sleep.


	8. Eyes Closed

Eyes closed. Just for one, fleeting moment, he saw it. He saw a world where there were extensions of pain, suffering, and fear. He saw a world where the constant and cold drizzle ceased to cut through the never-ending darkness. He saw a world where there was an existence away from Silent Hill.

But the window was slammed closed as the sirens had gone off. Any opportunity at revealing more information of the unknown realm had slipped away; the Marked Man would need to return to his books again. Opening his eyes, he gazed around the darkened library, ignoring the presence next to him. That was the one thing he rather enjoyed about the library – it stayed the same. It was a constant. It was outside of the influence of the sirens and lower monsters, and thus the books were intact and able to be read. The library was perhaps the place he spent his time the most, especially as of late.

Pyramid Head shifted, also taking in his surroundings. He rarely came in the library, and had only done so twice before. Once, when he was merely wandering about Silent Hill, waiting for the sirens to meet James. The other time was with _Invidia_, when the plan was first introduced to him. He had to admit – the Marked Man had certainly collected enough information to make the plan plausible. Now, the difficult part was executing it, to go through with everything necessary to try to achieve what was still a long shot.

"What will you do now, _Invidia_?" he asked, his deep and rough voice nearly shattering the silence. Inside the library, there were no sounds of the drizzle, and certainly not of the lesser monsters. He watched as the smaller "fear" continued to look about, then uncertainly lowered his cowl, revealing a shock of black locks that reached near his chin.

"For now, I will continue as I have before. I will retrieve information, and try to use this library as a gateway. I only need to find out how." The Marked Man's tone seemed almost disappointed, but it was only subtle. It certainly lacked the usual hostility. To Pyramid Head, it seemed that "_Iny_" was falling into a spiral of obsession laced with a hopeless cause. But, he knew the fear was stubborn enough to rather put up a fight trying than to simply sit around pretending. "We will escape," Invidia said with finality, moving away towards the shelves of books.

Pyramid Head said nothing, but merely turned and left the library. It was not his domain – he was merely a temporary guest.

We.

Will.

Escape.

Those three words ran through his mind over and over, and on his return to Alchemilla, he mulled over every aspect of those same three words. We. The Marked Man meant to get them out of there, despite his hatred of the other. Will. He would rather face _her_ than to fail, it seemed. Escape. That word alone made Silent Hill seem like an endless trap, something that sucked in despair and morphed it into something much worse. Pyramid Head laughed underneath his helmet – had all of those books given Iny such rebellious thoughts? After all, if it wasn't for the books, then he would've probably never yearned for a different existence, one as a human, a mortal man. Pyramid Head admitted – he found this quite amusing, a digression from the monotony of tormenting James, trying to make him realize his true crime.

The low chuckle abruptly stopped – but the Marked Man meant to get both James and Dante involved. He meant to use them in some way that no one else could see, to get out of Silent Hill and alter their fates.

He had to ask himself: were monsters ever meant to change and repent?


	9. Uncertain

James remained as quiet as he could. He had stared at his picture of Mary - but he hadn't realized that it was beginning to fade. He heard her voice echoing in his head, giggling in amusement at him. A slight noise of shifting and the chair creaking interrupted him. He looked up quickly, then relaxed when he realized it was simply Dante shifting in his sleep. It was amazing how the body acted when someone was in deep sleep. Sleep walking, talking, driving... such things definitely weren't unheard of. James knew he used to sleep walk and talk when he was a kid, but he was certain he outgrew the unconscious habit. But what about Dante? Did he do anything like that?

The blonde quickly remembered the reality surrounding him. For once, it wasn't immediate, forcing him into dangerous situations, but he knew it was out there, waiting. He knew there were monsters and puzzles - anything, waiting to attack, to make his life miserable. But, he found solace in a new fact that was placed upon him. He now had a bit of a greater purpose. He would help keep Dante safe, as long as they were working together on this. Dante had helped him greatly when his leg was in such bad condition, and they had tried to comfort each other in the dark when confronted by the Marked Man.

_Mary... maybe this is like a second chance..._

His very slight smile turned into a bit of a frown as he let his mind continue wandering, now focusing on his friend, who shifted once again in his sleep. James knew he automatically felt a sense of duty to protect Dante because the younger man seemed almost fragile. He seemed to be the type who tried to conceal all of his problems, to help others, but broke easily. James sighed, shifting in his seat as well, wondering what kind of person he came across as to Dante.

Dante's green eyes flickered open, their vibrancy clouded by sleep. He began to stretch, but promptly saved himself from rolling off of his bed of lined-up chairs. Slowly sitting up, he cautiously turned himself to a normal sitting position, rubbing his eyes and glancing up to see if James had noticed. The blonde man merely gave him a mysterious smile.

"Did I sleep long...?" he mumbled, trying to clear his throat. He still wanted to just find some bottled water.

"I don't know, but either way - you needed your sleep," James replied, speaking softly. He himself stood up and stretched a bit, then turned and pulled out his map. With his red pen, he circled the library, marking it as a safe house for the future. It was unlikely that he would forget that simple fact, but he still preferred to have it written down, just in case Pyramid Head hit him over the head again and he forgot everything or something.

"Where do we need to head to next?" Dante asked, joining James hunched at the table, gazing at the map as his hand felt the texture of the wooden table. It was still remarkable that the library wasn't at all affected by the sirens and the changes. It was also a large mystery to him.

"I was thinking... well, we need to get to the boat dock, so the Historical Society. I'm almost reluctant to leave the library, though."

Dante nodded in agreement.

"I'm entirely reluctant to. When should we leave? I was hoping to look around a little more. That box of stuff is pretty interesting," he told James, biting his lip softly in thought. The blonde man then mentioned that they could hang around here for a bit longer, much to the relief of Dante. He was genuinely interested in this library.

They took a bit of time to just sip some health drinks and relax, though not necessarily chat. Neither of the men felt it was the right place or atmosphere to do so. Dante then began to wander about the library once again, ignoring the slight, dull pounding sensation that was his headache. _Probably from dehydration_, he thought sarcastically to himself. He found himself attracted to the box again, going through its contents one last time.

"Dante...? Where are you...?" James began as he wandered around the library. It was eerily quiet and still, as if Dante had simply left. The man stopped when he found the raven-haired male sitting in front of the large box, all of its seemingly random items strewn around. Dante himself looked quite deep in thought, one leg drawn to his chest as his elbow rested on it. His vivid green eyes stared intensely into space. "Are you okay...?" James dared to ask, almost cringing as he interrupted Dante's flow of thought, who quickly looked up at him.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine... I was just thinking..."

"About what?"

"What this box stands for. I am willing to bet that the Marked Man is the one who put all of this stuff in this box. He seems almost fascinated by humans. Their society, culture, individual actions, appearance, and even reasons for existence. You know? I think he was asking us all of those questions just to learn more, to learn whatever this library can't give him."

James sat down next to Dante, his face quite blank as he thought over what had just been told to him. It made sense, but he wondered how Dante was able to come up with this, since it was such a jump.

"Why would he be fascinated with humans? And how does Pyramid Head fit into all of this?"

Dante merely shrugged.

"I'm asking myself the same question. Maybe we'll find more clues when we're out looking for your wife," he replied, standing up and offering a hand to James.

In less than fifteen minutes, they had mustered up enough willpower to leave the library, vowing to return after visiting the Lakeside Hotel across the lake.

* * *

Sitting at the desk, staring blankly at the book, the Marked Man felt a familiar sense of irritation wash over him. He hadn't gotten all the answers he wanted, and he doubted that Dante and James would be willing for a second session. The monster stood, walking through several aisles of books, coming across a box. He paused for a moment - the lid was switched around. That meant that James and Dante had more than likely discovered it. Opening it, he noted that nothing had been taken, then stared at its contents for a little before returning back to the large table.

Pyramid Head's grating, low voice echoed in his mind, the same question bouncing around again and again.

_What will you do, Invidia?_

He hardly had the answer himself, to be honest. But he would continue trying.

Leaving the library, he was sure to close the door, and headed along the metal grating to the hospital, ignoring the nurses, mannequins, and straitjackets that tried to wander in his way. They knew better than to upset a power greater than them; he had to give them credit for that.

Entering the dark hospital, he began his usual trek to the third floor, pausing as he heard a strange noise from the staircase, probably echoing from the basement. No, he didn't want to know what Pyramid Head was doing.

The Marked Man knew that his mission could not and would not interrupt in his process of opening Dante's eyes. That was certain.


End file.
